Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 60: The Precious Tree of the Chinese Literature Department (Please continue reading)
Yenching University's Chinese Department is divided into three majors: Journalism, Literature, and Classical Literature. Among the three majors, Literature is the most prestigious, with everyone there acting like a great writer, constantly talking about literary ideals.

Secondly, there's journalism, which was a classified field in this era, with every student acting like a journalist; while students majoring in classical literature were like closed-off containers, focused solely on research.

The three majors have the same courses for the first two years, all taught in a common classroom.

Inside the large classroom, the freshmen were bursting with excitement, all wanting to sit at the front. Liu Yimin sat in the fifth row, next to Liu Zhenyun and several of his roommates.

While waiting for class to start, many freshmen focused their attention on Liu Yimin. Outgoing students would come up to greet him, while those who were more reserved would whisper among themselves to the students next to them.

Their first class at Yenching University was taught by Professor Yan Jiayan, whose main research area was modern literary history, but his lectures on *Water Margin* were also very interesting. Perhaps because of *Water Margin*, he later showed a more open-minded attitude towards Jin Yong's novels.

Jin Yong's novels were first introduced into university courses, and only then was Jin Yong gradually accepted by the academic community of Chinese literature.

"Welcome to the Chinese Literature Department, students! Today we'll be discussing 'Water Margin'!"

Yan Jiayan was known for his serious teaching style, earning him the nickname "strict on top of strict." He rarely looked at his notes while lecturing, his gaze constantly sweeping across the audience. When he got excited about something, he would unconsciously wave his hands on the podium.

He likes to talk about Lin Chong in his stories about Water Margin, believing that Lin Chong's life was one of constant pressure. He was forced to join Liangshan, and then forced to leave by Wang Lun. He was forced to join Liangshan because of his wife, and he was envied by Wang Lun because of his skills.

Then he talked about several pairs of brothers in "Water Margin" who could entrust their lives to each other, such as Lu Zhishen and Wu Song, Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong, Yang Xiong and Shi Xiu, etc.

Yan Jiayan's lectures sometimes seemed completely unpredictable. He might be lecturing on "Water Margin" and then suddenly switch the topic to how students, new to the Chinese Literature Department, could make friends. While seemingly random, these lectures were closely connected to the course content.

"Making friends is a lifelong lesson you all need to learn. The consequences of making the wrong friends are clearly explained in 'Water Margin.' Lin Chong made the wrong friend Lu Qian and was eventually forced to join Liangshan. Lu Junyi made the wrong friend Wu Yong and ended up with his family destroyed and also joined Liangshan."

The student in the fifth row who looks like Yan Qing, please stand up and answer: How do you think one should make friends?

Wow! Liu Yimin was listening attentively when Yan Jiayan started asking questions right away. He nudged Li Xueqin and Liu Zhenyun, who were eager to try, and announced that the teacher was asking the prodigal son Yan Qing!

Li Xueqin wanted to express his dissatisfaction, but Yan Jiayan on the podium said with a smile, "That's right, it's the student who stood up."

Liu Zhenyun shifted his position, secretly relieved that he had only intended to adjust his posture and had no intention of standing up.

"Teacher, in Zhang Dai's 'Tao'an Dream Recollections,' Volume Four, 'Qi Zhixiang's Obsessions,' it says that one should not associate with a person who has no obsessions, for they lack deep feelings; one should not associate with a person who has no flaws, for they lack true spirit! This tells us that we should make friends with people who are flesh and blood, and we should not have too high expectations of our friends!"

Zhang Dai meant that a person without any hobbies is not worth associating with, because he has no interest in anything. Such a person is not interested in anything, and associating with him is bland and tasteless; his life is the same whether you are there or not.

A person without flaws is not a real person. In life, someone who is good at disguising himself is unlikely to make genuine friends.

"Well said. Although Lu Zhishen is clear about his likes and dislikes, he is also rough and violent, and sometimes greedy for petty gains. But he was able to become friends with Lin Chong and Wu Song, and was willing to risk his life for his friends. Therefore, when making friends, don't keep your distance because of some shortcomings."

Throughout history, all renowned figures have had their quirks. Yuan Hongdao said, "A person who has a unique quirk that he will not change throughout his life is a renowned figure." Some quirks that are incomprehensible to ordinary people, once maintained throughout one's life, become stories admired by later generations. Have you read *Tao'an Dream Recollections*?

"I've read it once, and I remember some of the famous lines." "So what do you think of Zhang Dai's 'Tao'an Dream Recollections'?" Yan Jiayan asked with a hint of scholarly inquiry.

"Zhang Dai wrote so much about his early life, and what we feel from his books is that the prosperity of his homeland was like a fleeting dream, and the helplessness and sorrow he felt after waking up from that dream!" Liu Yimin gave a general idea without elaborating.

"Let me explain!"

Yan Jiayan pondered Liu Yimin's words for a long time before finally remembering to ask Liu Yimin's name.

"So you're Liu Yimin?" Yan Jiayan's lips curled into a smile as he leaned forward, trying to get a better look at Liu Yimin's face. Even before the student knew who "Han Yu" was, Liu Yimin had already read and could quote lines from "Tao'an Dream Recollections," demonstrating a literary accumulation far exceeding that of his peers.

Yan Jiayan smiled and praised, "Your novel 'Mr. Donkey' is well-written, and you seem like a nice person too. That's great!"

Yan Jiayan's humor made all the students in the large classroom laugh. They never expected that the professor, who had just been so strict, would have such a humorous side.

"In the next class, we won't analyze *Water Margin*, but rather the novel *Mr. Donkey*. There are reviews of this work in magazines and newspapers; you can refer to them or copy them entirely, as long as you're comfortable with it. Liu Yimin doesn't need to prepare anything, just listen to what everyone has to say!"

Yan Jiayan left the classroom with a flourish, leaving a deathly silence in the room. The homework for the first class was already so difficult; many students still didn't know how to analyze novels, and Yan Jiayan hadn't taught them any methods of analysis.

One by one, they walked out of the classroom with their heads hanging low, while some ran ahead to the library to collect information.

When Yan Jiayan returned to his office, many professors asked him curiously what his overall impression of the Class of '78 students was.

"Old Xie, let me ask you a question. Your ancestor Xie An once asked, 'Why should your children be involved in worldly affairs, yet you wish them to excel?' What did Xie Xuan say at the time?"

"Old Yan, is that all? Xie Xuan once said, 'It's like wanting orchids and jade trees to grow in the courtyard.'" said Xie Mian, a professor in the Chinese Department.

After taking a few sips of water, Yan Jiayan said leisurely, "The Chinese Department as a whole is about the same as the previous year, but Liu Yimin, who wrote 'Mr. Donkey,' is the treasure of our Chinese Department!"

Liu Yimin has written two novels, "Donkey Water" and "College Entrance Examination 1977," with "College Entrance Examination 1977" generating a greater response to some extent.

However, in the eyes of these professors, "Mr. Donkey" is the most valuable work because of its critical nature; it is a "refined" literary work that excels in both criticism and thought.

With just one sentence from Yan Jiayan, Liu Yimin gained another nickname: "The Treasure Tree of the Chinese Department".

Liu Yimin was writing in the library when someone told him that Cui Daoyi, the editor of *People's Literature*, was waiting for him outside. The library was a good place to write, but there was only one table in his dormitory, and Liu Yimin felt embarrassed to occupy it for too long.

Cui Daoyi came today to review the manuscript, fearing that another magazine might snatch it away if she wasn't careful. An editor follows a good manuscript from beginning to end, and even then, it's not uncommon for things to go like this – like a mother carrying her child for ten months only to have it snatched away by someone else.

He had over a dozen letters from readers in his bag, which he planned to hand over to Liu Yimin. There were quite a few letters; these were the ones they had selected. One letter was particularly valuable, and he planned to publish it in the next issue along with Liu Yimin's reply.

P.S.: I kept waking up intermittently during my sleep today, which gave me a headache. I'm posting this now and will revise it later. Thank you everyone for your votes, and I'd also like to ask for another one!
(End of this chapter)